and you didn’t tell me!’
‘I didn’t want you feeling indebted to him,’ Mike said. ‘I’ve got to think about your reputation. I didn’t want the two of you sneaking off to the loft or something.’
‘And do what – spark in the moonlight?!’ She was furious. ‘You should have told me, Mike. All nightlong, I kept reminding myself that he works for our enemy!’
‘He might work for Huxton, but I don’t think his loyalty lies with H and B.’
‘Why would he risk taking our side in this war, when he is working for Huxton?’
Mike chuckled. ‘You really ought to take a closer look in the mirror sometime, dear sister.’ A silly grin came on to his face. ‘Dane said it himself, you’re pretty much the tasty end of the pork-chop.’
‘Gads!’ she groaned. ‘I should have never told you about the pork-chop.’
‘Well, you did ask why he would take up against Huxton.’
‘I can’t believe I’m the only reason for that.’ She rebuked the idea. ‘If he helped us, it’s because we are in the right.’
‘Yeah, sure, I buy that.’ Mike oozed sarcasm.
‘Darn his hide!’ Jessie declared testily. ‘Why couldn’t he have said something sweet or charming, instead of comparing me to a cut of meat? Now I’m the one in the wrong again!’
‘Well, Jess, I wouldn’t worry about it.’ Mike grinned at her. ‘Working for the wrong side hasn’t stopped him from chasing after you; my giving him a beating didn’t slow him none; and even the threat of going up against Phoenix isn’t enough to drive him off. I doubt a few heated words will keep him at bay for long.’
Feeling guilty, Jessie found herself hoping Mike was right. She silently vowed that if Kyler made the slightest effort she would allow him to make up withher. His attempt at flattery had been a total bust, but there could be no doubt he was sincere about courting her. Furthermore, she could not deny that she rather enjoyed the idea.
The next day, the stage was robbed on Jeff’s run. There were three passengers and they lost every penny they had, also their watches and jewelry. The following day Kenny left his wagon for long enough to sign some paperwork. When he returned the wagon was gone. He found it in a gully, a mile out of town. The supplies and wagon were both ruined.
The Concord coach had not arrived yet so Kyler returned to hauling ore. After three trips he arrived back at the livery with the team and empty wagon.
Nat helped put up the animals and apprised him of the trouble.
‘The war is heating up, sonny,’ he finished by warning. ‘I’d wager some that the trouble is from Abe and Pete Monger. They’ve been nothing but trouble since they were weaned.’
‘The Mongers, huh?’
‘I’m guessing them two are behind some of this here trouble.’
Kyler grunted. ‘Probably out of town for most of the stage runs.’
Nat gave a nod of his head. ‘And it’s been reported that two men, fitting their description, are pulling these stage hold-ups.’
‘If we could prove the Mongers are working for Huxton, it would be enough to convict the bull himself.’
‘Far as I know,’ Nat said, ‘the dirty work still comes by order of Strap Adere. There’s no direct contact with Huxton.’
‘Strap wouldn’t make war against the Yates family, unless it was on orders.’
‘No,’ Nat agreed, ‘but you would have to convince a judge and jury of that.’
‘Or Strap would have to point a finger at Huxton himself,’ Kyler replied. ‘We have to do something and soon. If Mike and his brothers decide to fight, it could be a blood-bath.’
‘What do you mean, we have to do something?’ Nat asked. ‘I don’t recall joining up to fight in this here war.’
‘You chose a side when you sent the letter to Judge Tate,’ Kyler reminded him.
Nat uttered a whine.
‘I knew you was trouble on the hoof, first time I laid eyes on you. I should have listened to myself, but no! I was too blind-stubborn to do it.’
‘I
‘I didn’t want you feeling indebted to him,’ Mike said. ‘I’ve got to think about your reputation. I didn’t want the two of you sneaking off to the loft or something.’
‘And do what – spark in the moonlight?!’ She was furious. ‘You should have told me, Mike. All nightlong, I kept reminding myself that he works for our enemy!’
‘He might work for Huxton, but I don’t think his loyalty lies with H and B.’
‘Why would he risk taking our side in this war, when he is working for Huxton?’
Mike chuckled. ‘You really ought to take a closer look in the mirror sometime, dear sister.’ A silly grin came on to his face. ‘Dane said it himself, you’re pretty much the tasty end of the pork-chop.’
‘Gads!’ she groaned. ‘I should have never told you about the pork-chop.’
‘Well, you did ask why he would take up against Huxton.’
‘I can’t believe I’m the only reason for that.’ She rebuked the idea. ‘If he helped us, it’s because we are in the right.’
‘Yeah, sure, I buy that.’ Mike oozed sarcasm.
‘Darn his hide!’ Jessie declared testily. ‘Why couldn’t he have said something sweet or charming, instead of comparing me to a cut of meat? Now I’m the one in the wrong again!’
‘Well, Jess, I wouldn’t worry about it.’ Mike grinned at her. ‘Working for the wrong side hasn’t stopped him from chasing after you; my giving him a beating didn’t slow him none; and even the threat of going up against Phoenix isn’t enough to drive him off. I doubt a few heated words will keep him at bay for long.’
Feeling guilty, Jessie found herself hoping Mike was right. She silently vowed that if Kyler made the slightest effort she would allow him to make up withher. His attempt at flattery had been a total bust, but there could be no doubt he was sincere about courting her. Furthermore, she could not deny that she rather enjoyed the idea.
The next day, the stage was robbed on Jeff’s run. There were three passengers and they lost every penny they had, also their watches and jewelry. The following day Kenny left his wagon for long enough to sign some paperwork. When he returned the wagon was gone. He found it in a gully, a mile out of town. The supplies and wagon were both ruined.
The Concord coach had not arrived yet so Kyler returned to hauling ore. After three trips he arrived back at the livery with the team and empty wagon.
Nat helped put up the animals and apprised him of the trouble.
‘The war is heating up, sonny,’ he finished by warning. ‘I’d wager some that the trouble is from Abe and Pete Monger. They’ve been nothing but trouble since they were weaned.’
‘The Mongers, huh?’
‘I’m guessing them two are behind some of this here trouble.’
Kyler grunted. ‘Probably out of town for most of the stage runs.’
Nat gave a nod of his head. ‘And it’s been reported that two men, fitting their description, are pulling these stage hold-ups.’
‘If we could prove the Mongers are working for Huxton, it would be enough to convict the bull himself.’
‘Far as I know,’ Nat said, ‘the dirty work still comes by order of Strap Adere. There’s no direct contact with Huxton.’
‘Strap wouldn’t make war against the Yates family, unless it was on orders.’
‘No,’ Nat agreed, ‘but you would have to convince a judge and jury of that.’
‘Or Strap would have to point a finger at Huxton himself,’ Kyler replied. ‘We have to do something and soon. If Mike and his brothers decide to fight, it could be a blood-bath.’
‘What do you mean, we have to do something?’ Nat asked. ‘I don’t recall joining up to fight in this here war.’
‘You chose a side when you sent the letter to Judge Tate,’ Kyler reminded him.
Nat uttered a whine.
‘I knew you was trouble on the hoof, first time I laid eyes on you. I should have listened to myself, but no! I was too blind-stubborn to do it.’
‘I
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